Enticed

Chapter 2

~(KEIZEL NAZARENE SANDOVAL's POV)

"Magandang araw, K," Manang greeted me with a wide smile as I entered the door and embraced me. "Pinaayos ko na ang silid mo, gusto mong samahan kita sa itaas?"

"I can manage," I answered casually.

Dumiretso ako sa paghakbang paakyat ng hagdan until I reached my room.

I didn't mind looking around. They don't have the right to change anything unless I tell them to.

"Ah, Ms. K, iiwan ko na po dito sa couch 'yung mga bag niyo."

Binagsak ko ang handbag ko sa bed-side table and checked my phone nang maramdaman kong nag-vibrate iyon sa bulsa ng coat ko.

It was dad.

I didn't bother to answer it. Binaba ko lang iyon sa ibabaw ng mesa and headed to the shower room.

It took me almost an hour bago ako matapos, and I heard my phone's vibration again.

I looked at the caller and saw mom's name. I pressed the answer button at tinutok iyon sa tainga ko.

"K... Yaya told me umalis ka pa rin ng bahay. Tumuloy ka pa rin ba sa Cebu?"

"I'm already here."

I heard her sigh on the other line. "That's good. I'm relieved. Are you feeling better? Won't you cancel your visit to Sanville today? You have to rest. You still have allergies."

"I'm good. You have nothing to worry about."

"Okay... I'll call someone there to buy meds for you. Are you planning to stay there already? Hindi ka na ba uuwi?"

"I still have to get some of my stuff."

"No, I'll get them for you. I'll go there in your free time. You didn't hug me. You know I'll miss you."

I intentionally did not tell her anything. She would just cry.

Still, we were just like neighbors. We could always fly back and forth with a few hours of travel time. Traveling from home to work was more hassle and time-consuming than riding a private plane straight to our home.

"If you please."

"Take care, okay? Love you, Ate."

I sat in front of the mirror nang matapos ang tawag. I blew dry my hair bago ko pahiran ng cream ang mga rushes ko. I couldn't remember eating something that possibly triggered my allergy. Too bad if my body developed another one.

I didn't feel so well, pero kilala ko ang sarili ko. I know what I can endure and tolerate.

I dressed up before going down the stairs.

"Good morning, Ms. President. I'm sorry I'm quite late," Cheska apologized. "Nag-gather pa po kasi ako ng info sa campus so I can report before your visit there, Ma'am."

Nagpatuloy ako sa paghakbang habang nakasunod ito sa akin.

"Ms. President, the whole campus is a mess."

"You know what to do."

Pasakay na ako ng sasakyan ko nang habulin ako ni Mang.

"K, nak, uminom ka na ba ng gamot? Tumawag sa akin ang Mommy mo."

"I'm good."

"May gusto ka bang kainin mamaya pag-uwi mo? Magluluto ako."

"Anything."

Bakas pa rin ang pag-aalala sa mukha nito. "Siya, mag-iingat ka ha. Makukulit pa naman 'yung mga estudyante sa campus ngayon."

Sanville was just a 20-minute walk from the mansion. It wasn't that far. Sadyang maluwag lang ang hacienda but it was just located next to it.

Dumiretso ako sa opisina without the staffs knowing na darating ako so they were all surprised.

Wala na ang mga gamit ni tita Russ doon. Naayos na rin iyon according to interior I like. She really knew what I want.

I stood up in front of the huge glass wall. Kita ko mula roon ang halos kabuuan ng buong campus since the office was located on the last floor of the building.

"That's what they do, Ms. President. They cut classes, they do vandalism, at marami na rin pong nasisirang school properties. They don't respect their professors na po, and they are threatening them."

Nanatili akong nakatingin sa mga estudyante sa campus. Most of them looked wasted.

"Like what Ms. R Sandoval told us, Ms. President, they are uncontrollable."

It took a while before words came out of my mouth.

"They are not. I am."

~(EENOS NIKOLAI BERMUDEZ POV)

I heard he came back already.

Marami na akong naririnig na babalik siya to stay.

Pinuntahan ko siya sa mansion pero ang sabi ng kasambahay umalis siya para magpunta sa Sanville.

Sinundan ko siya roon.

Pagpasok ko pa lang, naririnig ko na ang ingay sa campus at ang sigaw ng mga estudyante.

"Ah, f**k!" daing ng isang binatilyo sa gitna ng field habang hawak ang sumasakit niyang hita. "What the f**k is that!?"

I noticed some other students na dumadaing din sa sakit.

"You mother f**k-- argh!" Daing ng isa pa nang tamaan siya ng kung ano sa balikat. "f**k!"

Tiningnan ko ang direksyon na tinitingnan ng mga ito and... saw Keizel shooting all of them with an air riffle.

Humugot agad ako ng malalim na hininga.

She was implementing her way of punishment again. She was still a real brat, not even afraid to hurt others because she thought she could control everything.

Kahit pa airgun lang iyon, she could still give them major injuries.

Tumunog ang bell sa buong campus.

"Students, get in your classrooms now in sixty seconds."

Nagtakbuhan na ang ilan, but I doubt they would attend their classes.

That just gave all students curiosity sa kung anong nangyayari. Ginulo lang niya lalo ang buong klase.

Muli ko itong sinulyapan na abala pa rin sa pagsipat at pagbaril sa mga estudyante bago ako nagsimulang humakbang papasok sa building ng opisina niya.

"May I know your concern, sir--"

"I'm with her," sagot ko without looking at the staff at dumiretso na ako papasok sa loob ng elevator.

Pinuntahan ko siya kung nasaan siyang palapag. Huminto ako sa bukas na glass door and just looked at her for a while.

"You've done enough."

Sandali itong tumigil nang marinig ang tinig ko pero muli rin itong nagpatuloy.

I again heaved a deep sigh.

"Stop it."

I shouldn't expect that she would listen to me. She never listened to anyone.

"Keiz-- argh!" daing ko nang bumaling ito sa akin and shoot me on my shoulder.

Napahawak agad ako doon habang hindi maipinta sa sakit ang mukha ko. Pakiramdam ko bumaon ang maliit na bullet sa balikat ko.

Damn...

"I don't like to be disturbed."

Binagsak nito ang hawak na air riffle sa mesa at nilagpasan ako.

She was unbelievable.

Hindi ko na ininda ang balikat ko at sinundan ko rin agad siya. Nakita ko siyang sumakay sa elevator. Sinubukan kong humabol pero bago pa ako tuluyang makalapit ay sumara na iyon. She even managed to look at me straight in the eyes.

Sumakay ako sa kabilang elevator and went straight to her office.

"Iuuwi na kita," malamig na sambit ko habang papunta ito sa swivel chair niya.

She ignored me like what she always does. Akmang uupo siya sa swivel chair niya pero kinuha ko ang braso niya.

Sinundan niya ng tingin ang kamay ko roon pagkatapos ay tumingin sa akin na walang kahit ano sa mga mata.

Kilala ko na siya. She was good at hiding her emotions, but not to me. I knew I would make her feel upset by doing that.

"Get off."

"You'll go home."

Akmang hihilahin ko ito pero tinabig niya ang kamay ko and attacked me.

We were both knowledgeable pagdating sa martial arts. I needed to defend myself without hurting her.

Sinangga ko ang bawat pag-atake nito. Alam kong hindi siya titigil hanggang sa hindi niya ako napatutumba. I wanted to stop her already dahil naramdam kong nawawalan na ng impact ang pag-atake niya. I didn't want her to feel more weaker after it. It wasn't worth her energy.

I started to attack her too hanggang sa maitulak ko siya sa pintuan. Nahawakan ko agad ang mga braso niya and just looked at those eyes.

Hindi ko napigilan ang marahas na paghinga ko sa hingal.

Something started creeping inside me again, smelling that familiar perfume of her.

I haven't seen her eyes that close after years. Nothing even changed about how I feel. Hindi nagbago ang mga matang iyon. It could still make me feel different feelings inside.

"See..." I whispered. "You don't feel well. I know it if I can be this close."

She looked at me for a while before saying something.

"Get out," malamig na saad nito.

I wanted to give her space, but I don't know why I couldn't even loosen up. I felt like I needed to be that close to her again.

"You still love to push people away, huh?"

Literal na tinulak niya ako palayo sa kanya and started walking back to her table. Sinundan ko lang siya ng tingin.

Talking to her nicely won't work. Talking to her in any different ways won't still work. That's her. She wouldn't listen to anyone but her herself alone. She makes decisions. She makes her own rules.

It seemed like I had no other option but to wait for her until she decided to go back to their mansion.

I again heaved a deep sigh nang magsimula nitong buklatin ang mga papel sa ibabaw ng mesa niya.

"Look, I'm not here because I care for you. Your dad called me. He told me to force you to go home."

"Do you think I care?" she asked, still looking at the paper in front of her. "You can even die now."

My jaw clenched. When will she ever change?

She kept on showing people that she never cared.

Lumabas din ako ng silid at umupo sa couch malapit pa din sa opisina niya.

Tanaw ko pa rin siya mula roon dahil nakabukas ang makakapal na kurtina sa glass wall ng office niya.

Hindi ko nagawang tanggalin ang tingin ko sa kanya.

She knows herself better than anyone. She would always refuse help and even refuse care for her. I don't know why she always has to show other people that she can handle herself well.

She can control people, but I don't believe she can control everything. Kahit gaano siya kataas, she will still be needing help from others.

I shouldn't be there.

Wala akong planong puntahan siya for the sake of caring for her. His dad called me at mataas ang respeto ko rito.

We owe almost all our life to them for letting us work at their farm and let us live on their own land.

Malaking bagay iyon para sa pamilya ko.

Habang nakatingin ako rito... I felt the need to admit to myself... na may parte pa rin sa akin na gusto siyang makita.

May parte pa rin sa akin na nagiging masaya sa tuwing titingnan siya.

I don't like that feeling dahil gusto ko lang magalit sa kanya.

I just hated to admit the fact... that my heart was one of those things she could control.